CHAPTER III
THE RED COW’S SECRET
Nibble Rabbit was so surprised at Watch’s question that he stopped eating. And he was eating the delicious meal that Tommy had brought, so it was a big surprise. For that was just the question he didn’t know how to answer. He’d hidden the Red Cow himself. She was trusting him. How could he show where she was when she was specially hiding from Tommy?
“I know,” said Nibble, at last, “but it isn’t fair to tell. Why do you want her?”
“Why, I want her because we keep our cows in the barn, not in the wet woods like you silly Wild Things,” Watch answered, smiling. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Do you think I can’t go sniffing around and find her for myself if you won’t tell?” And he ran out a sly, pink tongue.
“Well, she’s all wild and scary, ’specially of Men,” pleaded Nibble. “You remember how she chased Tommy before. You’d better take him to the barn first and come back after her alone.” Nibble still had an idea that Watch herded Tommy Peele the way he did the cows.
“That’s perfectly true, Bunny,” said Watch. And he went bounding off ahead of his Boy, urging him to hurry as though he had something particularly interesting to show him. And he had, but he didn’t know it.
As soon as they had finished the meal Tommy had brought them, Doctor Muskrat went off to sleep on his sun-warmed stone, spread out flat with his paws hanging over the edges, and Nibble went lipity, lipity up his tunnel in the thicket to tell the Red Cow Watch was asking for her.
He heard the strangest noises as he came along—but they weren’t sad and scary. She was talking to someone in a new voice, very soft and gentle, very loving and happy.
“Who’s there?” Nibble called. “Red Cow, can I come?”
“Come quick, quick!” she lowed. “Isn’t it lovely? That’s why I was afraid. I came here to hide so that no one could take it away from me.” Then she added in her new voice that wasn’t meant for Nibble at all, “Lie still, wee thing.”